Archive stories

Portraits and Poses: Early Twentieth Century Photography

A collection of nearly 1000 negatives from the Hibbs Collection has recently been digitised, providing a fascinating glimpse into Dorset life from 1910-1920 and World War One. Dorset History Centre holds a fascinating series of photographs depicting Swanage life, taken between 1870 and 1950 by HR Hibbs (reference: D-1330). Within this collection are a series of… Read more Portraits and Poses: Early Twentieth Century Photography

Election of Women to Public Office

It seems very modern to have women leading political parties in the twenty-first century, but women holding public office may not have been considered so revolutionary by our medieval and Tudor ancestors. In 1532 Joan (Latin form Joanna) Bedford was elected to be the head of Longflete tithing (decennarius), an office equivalent to a modern… Read more Election of Women to Public Office

Dorset Regiments on the first day on the Somme

The name of ‘the Somme’ remains a highly-charged and hugely evocative one. The first day on the Somme saw almost 60,000 British casualties and almost 20,000 men killed. Conceived out of the failure of 1915’s autumn offensives, and pulled forward due to the French struggles at Verdun, the battle was not one the British Generals… Read more Dorset Regiments on the first day on the Somme